Millions of Texans were left in the dark for days after winter storms triggered power outages. But people in El Paso, the upper Panhandle and parts of East Texas kept their lights on — thanks to power drawn from other parts of the country.
Environment
Coverage of climate, conservation, natural resources, and environmental policy shaping the state, from The Texas Tribune.
Posted inEnvironment
Thousands of Texans depend on dialysis treatments. Extended power outages put their lives at risk.
Dialysis patients need treatments for hours at a time, multiple times a week. Power and water outages forced local centers to shut down.
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Winter Storm 2021
Texas power outages: Nearly half the state experiencing water disruptions as power grid operator says it’s making progress
We’re tracking the fallout from the massive winter storm in Texas, which has brought widespread power outages and transportation problems.
Posted in
Winter Storm 2021
Texas’ power grid is stabilizing, but more than 300,000 remain without electricity
Many people in the state still do not have power, and millions have had their water service disrupted.
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Winter Storm 2021
Hospitals in Austin are running out of water, forcing some to transfer patients
St. David’s South Austin Medical Center said a series of problems began after it lost water pressure from the city Wednesday. Seton hospitals in the area are also facing water problems.
Posted in
Winter Storm 2021
Texas power outages: Officials warn of low water supply; nearly 3 million households without electricity
We’re tracking the fallout from the massive winter storm in Texas, which has brought widespread power outages and transportation problems.
Posted in
Winter Storm 2021
Gov. Greg Abbott and other Republicans blamed green energy for Texas’ power woes. But the state runs on fossil fuels.
Green energy has been a political punching bag for Texas Republicans like Gov. Greg Abbott throughout the winter storm. Experts say that politicians never take responsibility for natural disasters when it comes to preparedness.
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Winter Storm 2021
No, frozen wind turbines aren’t the main culprit for Texas’ power outages
Lost wind power was expected to be a fraction of winter generation. All sources — from natural gas, to nuclear, to coal, to solar — have struggled to generate power during the storm that has left millions of Texans in the dark.
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Winter Storm 2021
Gov. Greg Abbott, other top Texas officials call for resignations and investigations at electrical grid operator
“The Electric Reliability Council of Texas has been anything but reliable over the past 48 hours,” Gov. Greg Abbott said in a statement.
Posted in
Winter Storm 2021
Texas largely relies on natural gas for power. It wasn’t ready for the extreme cold.
Texas largely relies on natural gas — especially during times of high demand — to power the state. Experts say natural gas infrastructure, from pumping it out of the ground to the plants in city centers, was unprepared for the plunging temperatures brought by the winter storm.
